Article containing and dispensing device



Jan. l, 193.5. o. FISCHER ET AL 1,986,259

ARTICLE CONTAINING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1953 2 sheets-shetv 1 Jan. l, 1935. o, FISCHER ET AL ARTICLE CONTAINING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed NOV. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORN EYS Patented Jan. 1, 1935 ARTICLE -CONTAININ G DEVIC Otto Fischer, Vienna,y

No DISP-Emme.V

Austria, Max E.

Bernhardt. New York, N. Y.; said Fischer assignor to said Bernhardt I Y Appiicatie Novemberz, 1933, serial No, 696,340

11 claims. (ol. 20s-4,1)

' This invention relatesto dispensing containers and While not restricted to such use, it is'particularly designed as a container or case for ciga-.

rettes and includes means which upon each actuation thereof Vpartially ejects a cigarette so as to facilitate the grasping and manual removal of the same from the case.

The invention-"broadly resides in a'cigarette case having means for'partially ejecting the cigarettes through an opening inthe case together with means for feeding ar cigarette into a position in alignment with the said lopening each time a cigarette is removed from the ,case.

The invention more speciiicallyv resides in a cigarette case whichrincludes separable sections which are movable relatively to each other, in order to gain accessk tothe interior thereof for the purpose yof filling orfcharging the case with cigarettes, and which sections are provided with interengageable means functioning lupon relative movement of said sections to eject a portion of one end of 'a cigarette fromthe case through a dispensing opening in` the` sidewall thereof each time the sections are moved from a fully closed position towards its open position,

The invention yfurther embodies a cigarette case in which. if desired,n the body and cover sections may each be completely cutgnbentfand formed from a single blank of stock so as to pro-* vide interfitting unitary structures.

Other objectsk which fall within the purview of the invention are to provide va cigarette case of the character indicated which is comparatively simple and not unduly complicated inits con-l struction, admitting of*l economical prod'uction thereof and, which is highly efficientzfor its intended purpose. l

With the above recitedand'other objects in view, reference isA made to the following speciv fication and accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated, by way of example, two em-` bodiments of the invention, whiletheappended claims are intended to cover other forms there-f of which fall within their scope. y

In the draWingsVillustrating Vthe invention, Fig. 1 is a front view of a cigarette casezgconstructed 'in accordance with vthe' invention and illustrating in dotted lines the ejector inretracted tensioned position. l

Fig. 2 is a view partially in section illustrating the means for advancing the cigarette supplyA to dispose the leading cigarette in a position to be ejected by the nentactuation ofthe ejecting means, and showingthe case sections in relative A taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.' 3.

position wherein the ejecting means has effected the partial ejection of ac igarette. Fig.r 3 is a plan View illustrating the case sections in openedrelation for iilling the'fcase.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional lview Fig. `5` is a. similar sectional view taken'onl the linef5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of `the container .lo

body section. l v

vFig; 7 is a'perspective view of the cover secti0n ^ Fig. 8 is a perspective view off the springactuated `Afollower member `for moving the cigarettes into dispensing position.- v

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of another formof cigarette case with the sections in openrelation. Fig. 10 is a rear' view of the case illustratedA in Fig. 9, the samev being shown on a reduced scale.V

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the cigarette case includes a container body section A anda cover section B which are slidably associated for relative movement from a closed to anopened relation for lling and forrelative movement to effect the partial ejectmentof a portion of the end of a cigarette duringeach dispensing operatiorn- .As shown,A the container body section A is substantially rectangular shaped in cross section and includes al rear Wall 10` which has joined thereto along its yside edges and at its ends respectively, upstanding side walls 11 and 12 and `forwardly curvedfareuate end walls 13 and 14 which end walls'cairyfront wall portions 15 and 16 directedv inwardly toward each other and' vspaced from eachother andthe rear wall 10.

The end Wall' 13` and the front wall portion y15V have'their undersurfaces adjacent their side edges in engagement with the edges of the sidewalls 11 and 12. 'I'lie'side wall 1l, at the opposite end of' the section, is reducedin length'andhas a concave arcuateend edge 18 which 'isspaced from the end wall 14 todene together with said wall 14 a dispensing opening 19, through which the cigarettes arei'ejected, yand dispensed. `Adjacent the said opening, -the upperedge of 'the' side wall 11 is engaged by the undersurface of the front wall portion 16. I i

The wall 12 has its front edge oiset inwardly from a point adjacent the innermost edge 20 of the top wall portion and extending to the arcuate convex edge 21 "thereof, which edge 21 contacts with the undersurface of the end wall 14. Carried byand extending inwardly from the ofiset portion of the front edge of the sidel wall 12 is a front Wallfportion-22, the inner edge 23 lofl which portion 22, together with the inner edge 20 of the front wall portion 15 and the inner edge 24 of the front wall portion 16 and the front edge 25 of the side wall 11 defines a rectangular shaped opening 26 for gaining access to the interior of they body section A to introduce the cigarettes for filling or chargingthe case.V l

The front wall portionl is provided with an elongated recess 27 opening through the edge 24 and extending inwardly therefrom and dividing the said wall portion 16 into `opposite side areas 28 and 29, the side area 29vjoverlying one'end of the front wall portion 22 and being held in spaced relation thereto by meansof a tongue 30 struck up from the wall portion 22. The spaced wall portions 22 and 29 afford a'clearance for and beltween which an ejector arm 31 is movable to and from its retracted tensionedkv position.A The ejector arm 31 is anchored at one end as at 32 to the upper surface of the frontwall portion 22v and has its free offset end fashioned vto provide a cigarette engaging terminal33 disposed in align-` ment with the dispensing opening 19 foricontacting withand moving the outermost cigarette of thef supply laterally of itscase and to partially project through the dispensing opening.` j

y Adjacent the terminal v33 the ejector arm 31 is laterally bent to provide an angularly disposed cam portion 34r and a straight portion 35, the cam portion34 being engaged by a depending flange' 36 Yof a plate 37. The plate 37 is alsojprovided with an inwardly projecting stop lug 38 which is adapted to contact-withr a stop finger 39 formed at the edge 23-of the front wall portion 22 so' as to normally limit the relatively sliding movement of the case sections A and Bthe required distance to actuate the ejectormeans. f In order to provide means whereby the stop lug 38 may be disposed out ofthe path of thestop gages with the ejector arm 31. 1 .l

The ejector, arm 31 isy inherentlyresilientand is so disposed upon the front'wall portion 22 thatwhen the cover section B is movedto closed position, vfrom the position in which'the stoplug 38 of the plate 37 is against the stop finger-39, the

flange 36 ofthe plate 37 slides over the cam'por'.- tion 34 of the ejector arm and swings the Vfree end ofy the arm laterally into retracted tensionedposition for engagement behind the outermost cigarette. When in `this DO Sitiomthe fiangev 36 of the plate 37 is in contact with the straight portion 34 of the ejector arm, which flange holds the ejector arm in tensioned position4 until releasedby the retraction of the cover section B from fully. closed position, in orderto effect the-ejection ofan end portion of the endmost cigarette whereby to facili- 4 tate the grasping and complete removal thereof, a lug 53 limiting the movement ofthe ejector arm 31. -r

The container section A may be of a size to receive and accommodate anydesired number of cigaretteswhich are transversely disposed in contiguous parallel relation in` a single row and bef tween the end iii/2111114.21114 a Spring actuated The plate.37 is'returnedto normal position upon the subsequent actuation of the4 cigarette dispensing device as the flange '36 en-Y follower 43 which follower functions to successively move the cigarettes into position for removal where the terminal element 33 of the ejector arm 31 lies behind the innermost end of the cigarette to be engaged and axially moved thereby to the partially ejected position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

'Ihel follower 43 includes a Wall 44 having a concave leading face within which is received theinnermost cigarette of the supply and which `wall has joined thereto, marginal rearwardly directedside walls 45 and end walls 46. The follower 43 is urged toward the end wall 14 of the container body section A by an accordion folded spring 47,'the upper end of which spring is disposed against the underside of the arcuate wall 44 and lies between the side and end walls 45 and 46, the opposite end of said spring abutting against the end wall 13 of the said section. One of the side wal1s'45 of the follower 43 carries a latch plate 48 which is provided with a rearwardly projecting upwardly offset portion 49 cutout as at 50 and forming a detent tongue 5l which is adapted to engage with an inwardly pressed keeper lip 524 formedby slitting the front wall portion 15 and serving to temporarily hold ,the follower in i, retracted position while filling the container with cigarettes. The detent is released from the keeper by manually lifting the forwardly extending extremityy 54 of the front wall portion 15 which raises theV keeper lip 52 out of engagement with the detent tongue 51.

The cover section Br is provided with a front wall 55 which wall overlies and forms a closure for the opening 26 in the container body section A, the said front wall 55 being provided with marginal side walls 56 and 57 which walls are provided with inwardly directedflanges 58 which engage with the rearwall `10 of the body section A to afford a slidably guided connection between the sectionsA and B.

The ends of the side wall 56 of the cover section B extend beyond the top and bottom edges of the front wall 55 thereof and have convex arcuate end edges 59 and 60 which conform to the curvature of the end walls 13 and 14 respectively. Theside Wall 57.0f the cover sectionB has its,` lower end projectingbeyond the bottom edge of theffront Wall 55 and has its end edge 61 similarly convexlycurved, the opposite end of the side wall57 being reduced in length and having a concave arcuate end edge62 which edgev abuts against an outwardly pressed inwardly recessed portion 75 of the side wallf12 which portion form'sastopboss/to'limit the sliding movement of the cover section B upon the body sec-y tion A and provides a pocket for the terminal end 33 of the ejectorlarm 31 so that the same is disposed when in retracted tensioned positionv iiush with` the inner face of the side wall 12 and out ofthe path of the inner'end of the cigarettes as they are-shifted into position to be dispensed.

The spring 47 has its terminal 72 downwardly inclined between the topmost convolutions 73 and- B is arranged in fullyy closed relation upon the container section A, the plate 37 is disposed in the recess 27 with the flange 36 thereof positioned y agamsttne .straight rrtiQn. of the gleden nosacee arm 31 and with the arm 31x1'n retractedtensionedposition. When the cover section'B issmovedtto fullyippened position on'v the container section A, `for lling the` container section, thestopf lug.

38 abuts againstthe inner edge of a Yrecessr63 opening through the edge 20 of the front walll portion 15 and extending inwardly therefrom adjacent the extremity 54 thereof. The .side area 28 of the front wall portionr 16 is provided Iwith;

a recess 64 extending inwardly from the edge 24 thereof whichforms anjopeningfor the fthumb by which the latch plate 48 may be engaged'and manually retracted into latched engagement withv the keeper.A lip 52 for lling 'the container section A.

1 In the embodiment illustrated einigt-ues 9 and,

10, the construction closely follows .the previously described form but in this instance, the container section is provided with .an elongated slot65 in'. the bottom'wall 10a, which slot has a laterally extending notch 66 at its lower end and a similar laterally extending notch 6.7 intermediate its' ends` for. guidedly receiving the pin 68 carried by the bottom wall a of the follower 43a. The pin'68.

is provided with enlarged heads 69 and '7.0 and.

is slidable. in a laterallyextendingslot. 71. in the bottom wall 45a of the follower 43a by means' of which .the pin 68 may be disposed in either one of the notches 66,or,6'7 for temporarily latching thefollower 43a in either of two positionsfor filling` the container section.

Whatis claimed is:

of cigarettes to be dispensed, one of Lsaid sections having a dispensing opening and a'. resilient ejector meansl functioning upon relativev sliding movement of said sections to effect a partialejec` tion of a` cigarette through said openingupon:

f ing -a freeiend disposed in. alignment withsaid each operation of said means. Y

2. In a cigarette dispensingvcontainer, 'a .pair

of interengageable slidably movable sections prof viding an interior chamberfor holding a supply of cigarettesto be dispensed, one of said sections having a dispensing opening,` swinging vmeans functioningupon relative sliding movement of saidsections to effect a partial ejection of a cigarette through said opening upon each operation of said means and means for successively moving the cigarettes contained in said chamber to dispose the endmost cigarette in a position to be acted upon by the ejecting means.

3. I n a cigarette dispensing container, a hollow body section having an opening for filling the section, a cover section, said cover section being slidable upon and relative to the hollow body section to gain access to the interior of the hollow body section through said opening, said body section having a dispensing opening, and a resilient ejector element anchored at one end to said hollow body section and having a free end disposed in alignment with said discharge opening when in retracted position and functioning upon relative sliding movement of said sections to effect a partial ejection of a cigarette through said dispensing opening.

4. In a cigarette dispensing container, a hollow body section having an opening for filling the section, a cover section, said cover section being slidable upon the hollow body section to gain access to the interior of the hollow body section through said opening to fill the same,-said body section having a cigarette dispensing opening,

tension means functioning upon relative sliding movement: v.offlsaid fsectionsv to '..effect *a lpartialv ejection of a cigarette through said dispensing opening, and means functioning upon.` relative movement of said sections to. move-the 'first named.

means to retractedftensioned position.' i

..5. In a cigarette dispensing container, a hollo body sectionA .providing a cigarette., receiving' chamber and having an opening for filling Vthe chambena'vr cover .sectionpsaid cover section.

being so constructed and arrangedas to be slidably movable uponv the hollow body section Vtoand from closed position overlying said openingpsaid body. section having a cigarettedispensing open ing,Y alresil'i'entV ejector/element.anchored at one; endlto thersaid hollow body sectionand having;

a free end disposedin alignment with saiddis-v charge opening when `in. retracted. tensioned` Vpo-:f`

sitionfand .means carried .by said cover: section;

`6. In a cigarette dispensing container,a body section, said sectionincluding abottom wall;

end andside walls, a laterally disposed top'wall portion connected with. oneof` ysaidside walls and inwardly directed Atop wall portions connected respectively to `the end walls, `the inner. edges of said topwall portions, rand the free;Y

edge of said other side wall defining an opening entering.:4 into a cigarette receiving chamber formed byfsaid walls, one of said sidewallshavay ing (a cigarette dispensing opening, a'. coverfsec-` tion so constructed and arranged as to .be slidably movable upon the .body section to overlier andclose the `said first mentioned opening,.a4

resilientA ejector element anchored atone end upon-.theisaid lateral top wall portion 'and havdischarge i opening when .in .retracted tensioned position` and. depending means carried bythe underside. of said cover section functioningby andv upon relative movement of said .sections toy swing the. ejector element fromv untensioned 'posia tion to .retracted .tensioned position v`and inposi-5. tionfor partiallyA ejectinga cigarette through said dispensing opening upon retraction of the cover section from closed relation.

7. In a cigarette dispensing container, a hollow body section providing a cigarette receiving chamber and having an opening for filling the chamber, a cover section, said cover section being so constructed and arranged as to be slidably movable upon the hollow body section to and from closed lposition overlying said opening, said body section having a cigarette dispensing opening, a resilient ejector element anchored at one end to the said hollow body section and having ay free end disposed in alignment with said discharge opening when in retracted tensioned position, means carried by said cover section functioning by and upon relative movement of said sections to swing the ejector element from untensioned position to retracted tensioned position and in position for partially ejecting a cigarette through said dispensing opening by retraction of the cover section, a spring actuated follower slidably movable within the hollow body section for successively moving the supply of cigarettes contained therein to dispose the endmost cigarette in a position to be acted upon by the ejector element and means for latching the said follower V walls, one of said side walls having a cigarette dispensing opening, 'a cover section so constructed and arrangedasto be slidably movable upon the I, body .sectionto overlieand close the saidfirst mentioned opening, a resilientf ejector element anchored ,at one endrupon the said lateral top wallaportion.,and:.havingfa free endy disposed inl alignment with said discharge opening when=in retracted tensoned position,1 depending means carried by the under side of Said: cover section functioning by, and vupon relative movement ofv said =sections to 'swing `the ,ejector element from untensioned position to retracted tensioned posi-i f tionand in position for partially ejecting ai cigarette through said dispensing opening upon re. traction of thei cover vsection from closed relation,

anda spring actuated follower slidably movable in the said chamber for successively moving the supply ofcigarettes rcontained therein to dispose the endmostfcigarette ina position to Ybe acted upon vby the ejector element.

49.*Ina device of the class described, a pair of interengaging -slidablel movable sections,` said f: sections each being constructed. from' a sheet of plain stock, one ofv said sheets beingso out and bent las to provide a bottom wall, a pairof up standing sidewalls andoutwardly curvedvarcuate end walls-to thereby form one of said sec'- tions', said wallsdening a chamber for holding a supply of cigarettes and providingan opening for filling the chamber, the other ofsaid 'sheets being so cut and bent asto provide a front wall and side walls joined to the marginal edges of said front wall'to thereby form the other section,

said front wall overlying and forming a closurev for the opening in said first mentioned section and being provided withY inwardly directed anges which engage with the bottom wall ofsaid first mentioned section to afford a slidably guided connection between said sections, and a stop for limiting thev relative sliding movement of said sections for positioning the sections in closed relation.

l0. In a dispensing container for articles of the character set forth, a pair of interengaging relatively movable mating sections, said sections providing an interior chamber for holding a supply of articles to be dispensed, one of said sections having a dispensing opening, an article ejecting means so constructed, arranged and actuated'by one of said. sections upon relative movement of the sections as to effect a partial ejection of an article through said opening upon each loperation of said' means, a spring actuated followerl slidably movable within said chamber for successively moving the supply of articles contained therein to dispose the endmost article in a position to be acted upon by the ejecting means, and interengaging latch and keeper means carried by said follower and one of said sections respectively for latching the follower in retracted position for lling the chamber. l

11. In a Vdispensing container'for articles of the character setforth, a pair of Ainterengaging relatively movable mating sections., said sections providing an interior chamber for holding` a supply'of articles to be dispensed, one of said sections having a dispensing opening, an article ejecting means so constructed, arranged and actuated by one of said sections upon `relative movementof the sections as to eifect a partial ejection of an article through said opening upon each operation4 of said means, a spring actuated follower slidably movable within said chamber for successively moving the supply of articles contained therein to dispose the endmost article' in a position toY be acted upon by the ejecting means, one of said sections having an elongated notched slot opening into the chamberv and means movably carried by said follower and movable into engagement with the notch of said slot for temporarily latching the follower in retracted position for lling the chamber.

, OTIO FISCHER;

MAX E.. BERNHARDT. 

